Risk of childhood cancer

Minor malformations, such as birthmarks, may reflect "altered prenatal development," which could also increase the risk developing cancer, Dr. Julie A. Ross, of the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, and colleagues point out in the medical journal Pediatrics.Overall, 2505 children had a documented definite or suspected birthmark. Out of the whole group, 47 children were diagnosed with cancer before age 8 years and seven of these had a definite or suspected birthmark.
Because of the small number of cancer cases, it's possible that the findings could have arisen by chance, Dr. Ross's group notes. Nonetheless, they hope the results may lead to insights into the cause of childhood malignancies.